South Korea suspends deployment of more THAAD pieces

South Korea suspends any further deployment of a controversial US missile system to the country until an environmental impact assessment ordered by President Moon Jae-in is completed.

The South Korean President’s office said in a statement on Wednesday that Moon had called for the suspension of the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to the country.

The office also said that the environmental impact assessment could take a year to complete.

“We do not view the deployment process as urgent enough to bypass the whole environmental impact assessment,” said a senior office at the presidential office whose name was not mentioned in reports.

The “additional deployment (of the THAAD) should be carried out only after the environmental impact assessment is over,” the official added.

The official said, however, that Seoul saw “no need to withdraw” the two launchers that have already been deployed.

South Korea decided to host the missile system last year under ousted president Park Geun-hye to deter perceived threats from North Korea. The first pieces of the missile system started arriving at the Osan Air Base in South Korea in March with the approval of Seoul’s then-caretaker administration.

The new South Korean President ordered a “proper” investigation into the potential environmental impact of the missile system on Monday.

The South Korean President had also ordered an investigation into an unauthorized deployment of four more launchers that have arrived recently in the South and are currently being stored at a US army base in the country. According to Moon’s office, top military officials had deliberately withheld information from the president. Moon removed Deputy Minister for Defense Policy Wee Seung Ho on Monday over the matter.

SS